


The Birds and Their Loves

by uniquecellest



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:29:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uniquecellest/pseuds/uniquecellest
Summary: A bunch of romantic moments amongst the Robin boys and my favorite ships among them. All scenes with be from various shows/movies like Clone Wars, JLAS/JLU, etc.
Relationships: Artemis of Bana-Mighdall/Jason Todd, Dick Grayson/Zatanna Zatara, Raven/Damian Wayne, Tim Drake/Cassie Sandsmark
Comments: 12
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The song used in here is Am I Blue by Billie Holiday, and just the DC/JLAS/JLU I took some creative liberties and changed some of the lyrics but I am in no way claiming the song as my own.

Cassie and Tim are on a roof in New York. The League got intel about a gang causing trouble. As they keep watch on the people below, just below them is a club full of kids older, but in high school or college maybe going in and having fun.

“Do you ever wish you were down there?” Cassie wonders, breaking the silence among her and Robin. She turns her head looking at him, he has not taken his off the are even once. She is starting to wonder if he can even blink.

“I’m down there enough.” And Tim means it. He loves the superhero gig but as a regular civilian he is without a doubt the most awkward one, and while he has no doubt Alfred and Dick would be able to help him cover, he does not want to put the awkwardness he has as regular Tim Drake on anyone else.

“But it’s only a job. What about with someone special?” Cassie has a point. But she is calm and collected sometime rash but how can Tim Drake be all suave around a girl like Cassie? Smart and strong and beautiful. Besides as much as he would like to ask her out there is not telling if she reciprocates. And even if she does. . . if Poison Ivy or Penguin or Joker got her. . .

Tim knows Cassie can fight but it’s what they might try and do to her that scares him.

“No. No dating for Robin, it’s probably forbidden by Batman.”

He would like to rebut that dating within a team leads to trouble but Black Canary and Green Arrow have been together for years now, the same with Wally and Artemis.

“I’m just not good with people.” Tim confesses. “Besides say I did date someone, I can’t keep standing her up to do missions and even if it is someone on the Team or not there is no telling what Batman and I’s enemies might do to get to me through her.”

Hearing the sound of stone breaking, Tim whips his head to see the head of a gargoyle crumbling underneath Cassie’s hand. Even though it kinda terrifies him that she can do that it also amazes him as well.

“Anything else?” At that moment an alarm goes off and they go down into an ally with Cassie remarking “saved by the bell.” Once in the alley they are confused as it is just one thief and not a gang.

“Bad tip?” Robin wonders. “You get the perp, I’ll get the weapon?” He reasons with Cassie.

The thief smirks as they throw their pipe at Robin in midair it turns into a snake. Tim steps aside just in time to not get bit. When the snake hits the ground, that is when the thief transforms. They have long flowing grape juice hair, striking green eyes, olive skin, wearing a green and black dress with matching shoes.

“Circe!” Cassie cries. “What are you doing here? I thought that-”

Circe goes on to explain that while Diana and Hippolyta have banished her to Tartarus, they needed more room down their and so she got early parole. As long as she did not go after Hippolyta, Diana, or Donna. Tim goes to try and take her out but Circe blasts him away, then using her magic to grab a hold of Cassie. “No one said that I couldn’t go after you, young apprentice.” With that Cassie screams as Circe uses her magic to transform her. Tim looks over in time to see Cassie transform from a human into a pig. Once the transformation is complete Circe disappears.

Pushing himself up Tim grabs Cassie. “It’ll all be okay.” He says quietly. Although, he is not sure if he is trying to reassure Cassie or himself. He quickly goes to the nearest Zeta Tube, but instead of going to the Watch Tower or Cave or Hall of Justice he goes to Las Vegas. The only possible person that can help them is stationed there.

* * *

Zatanna does a bow as she waves goodbye to the audience. It is her night of from hero stuff so she is using her magic for entertainment purposes. As she enters her dressing room, she can already feel a presents. Not one that is all gloomy to stealth like, not fully anyway as she can sense their nervousness.

“What do you need Tim?” Tim comes out of the shadows holding a pig. Zatanna looks him and the pig. The pig is wearing metal bracelets and is radiating with magic. “What happened?” Tim quickly fills Zatanna in.

“Can you transform her back?”

“I can try. But underworld magic is very difficult. Usually the caster has to undo it.” Despite him wearing a mask Zatanna can see the fear and dread settling in on Tim. “But I can try and track her.” Zatanna uses her locater spell and finds her in a music bar in Greece. She goes with Tim to confront Circe.

Transporting the three of them to the bar, Zatanna watches Tim and Cassie for a moment. Every moment that Tim seems very nervous his hold on Cassie tightens. The worst part is that since Cassie is a pig she cannot tell if Cassie is uncomfortable or not.

A voice comes over the mic and Circe is on the stage, instead of her green and black dress she is wearing a red cocktail dress. She starts boasting about how she is showing her cousins – the Sirens – off and that she can attract more men than them. It does not take long for the sorceress to spot them.

Zatanna stops her and zaps her off stage in front of them.

“What do you wretched children want?”

“ _We_ want Cassie transformed back to normal. What is it going to take?”

Circe observes him. Taking in every last detail about his posture and facial expression. She grows a devilish grin. “I want something from you that is very precious.” She informs Tim. “Something you’ve worked very hard to conceal. Something that once gone you can never regain. Something so clouded in darkness.”

Tim squints his eyes behind his mask as he takes in the terms and conditions. He gently hands Cassie over to Zatanna, not trusting Circe with her at all, and going over to the stage. Taking a deep he realizes that if the people here even remember this, it will be him as Robin and not Tim. He can do this.

“Am I blue, am I blue

Ain’t these tears in my eyes telling you

Am I blue, you’d be too

If each plan I made with you fell through

Was a time I was your only one

But now I’m the sad and lonely one, lonely

Was I happy till today

Now you’re gone and we’re through, am I blue

Was I happy till today

Now you’re gone and we’re through, am I blue

Oh you’re gone, am I blue, am I blue.”

During the song Tim is pouring his heart out to Cassie. He is dealing with so much mentally that he does not want Bruce, Alfred, Dick, or the others to know about. He helped Bruce and Dick and Babs after Jason died, he can’t let them know how broken he is. And that means he can’t tell Cassie. She deserves someone who doesn’t have the amount of baggage that he has. Besides, there are probably plenty of people on the Team and in her civilian life that would love to be with her. Make her happier than he ever can.

In the back Circe and Zatanna are crying. The magician makes sure that the witch keeps her end of the bargain. Once Tim is done Circe disappears and Cassie is back to normal. With that Zatanna takes them back to the Cave where Tim and Cassie are the only ones in the living room.

“How do you feel?” He asks her.

“To be honest everything is still kind of blur. Did I miss anything?”

“Not much. The important thing is that you’re safe.”

“Yeah. Of course, that isn’t the only important thing.”

With that Cassie heads to her room humming the song Tim sang and even though she can’t see it, he smiles. It’s one of the first genuine smiles in a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

_They arrived back at the Cave just a couple of hours earlier. Tim is in the infirmary after what happened in New Orleans with Cassie checking him out for any injuries. So far they have deduced that he has no liquids in lungs, no burns, no new scars or scratches. She's currently examining his arm, concern in her very blue eyes. Part of Tim doesn't like seeing the concern in her eyes, he wants to make it go away. But at the same time he's glad because that means she does feel something for him. He quickly then scolds himself because she would show the same amount of concern for any of their other teammates. Just like he would, it is selfish of him to think that her concern is only for him to see when there is a high chance that she does not even think of him in the romantic sense as he does her._

* * *

Tim is snapped out of his memory from two years ago by hearing M'gann and Conner leaving with Beast Boy even if the tension between them is thick. He turns to look at Dick who is now leaning against Stephanie and Cass who just showed up a little bit ago. 

"Tim, are you okay?" Dick asks.

For some reason Tim can feel himself tense up, his emotions starting to boil over. He has been obedient, doing everything his family has wanted and now it might cost the one thing in his life that he felt he at least had some control over and was able to go fifty/fifty on how it went.

Clenching his fist Tim mutters to himself "this better be worth it." He knows Dick, Cass, and Stephanie are looking at him. He turns, storming his way up to them. "This better be worth it. The secrets, the hiding, everything better have a pay off in the end. Because this could cost me the love of my life." He turns back leaving the building to for a walk. He knows that he is young and calling Cassie the love of his love. Heck he and Cassie haven't even told each other that they love each other.

But every time he thinks about her he can feel his heart beating faster than ever, calming him because he feels as if he can tell her anything. Which is what makes him a bit angry again. He helped Bruce and Dick after Jason died because they were becoming more reckless (Bruce a bit more than Dick but both reckless nonetheless), becoming Robin on his own only to just listen and be there for his new family. 

He wishes he could tell her the truth. Diana is in space so she is spared from any possible anger that Cassie might have. He also thinks about what Beast Boy told him. He's right, Tim and Cassie have a ninety-nine percent chance of breaking up. He can already picture the hurt, betrayal, heartbreak, and tears on her face. It breaks him just thinking about it so he knows the real thing is going to be shattering.

Stopping, Tim takes a breath and wonders what would of happened if he hadn't become Robin. Bruce was his Godfather so he still would of ended up with him. But if he hadn't Bruce might of actually killed someone, Dick too, he wouldn't of met Cassie but he was a fan of hers before so he has feeling that wouldn't've changed. Then again she also wouldn't have to deal with him as a lousy boyfriend. She would either be single or with someone that can be honest and not hide any secrets from her.

He just hopes that even if she does end things then maybe at some point she can forgive him. If she even decides to talk to him again.


	3. Chapter 3

Damian is in a dark room, he is on his knees while the other occupant is standing, taking steps with every other sentence she spoke. She has medium brown hair, striking green eyes – like his – and light olive skin.

“Rachel Roth.” She speaks. “Most people would run screaming seeing her being in her semi-demon form.” Damian squints his eyes and clenches his hands over his knees. He knows when to bite his tongue to not cause any trouble but hearing people speak ill about Raven is enough for him to lash out. “And then there is you. Most people – aside from your father and his other children – would run seeing you be blood thirsty. Yet, neither of you flinched at the other. Then again you are a demon yourself so maybe that is why you didn’t go cold seeing her.”

“You’re wrong. You don’t know what happened, how could you? You weren’t even there!” Damian recalls his last mission. It was shortly after Trigon; he had thought that any rage or what he had been taught growing up was flushed out or tamed. But it was not. He had seen Starfire, Jaime, Garfield all get hurt to the point that if they kept fighting they would need serious medical attention. Honestly, once he saw Raven fall with the others everything became a blur. Something washed over him and he was attacking their enemies with no mercy, he did not care for the horror or scared faces of his friends. He remembers Raven calling out to him, her hand touching his shoulder. Her fingers ice cold. It disturbed him greatly.

“Shut up.” The woman shouts repeating herself as Damian, pushing himself up off the ground, defies her and keeps talking. He keeps going until he comes to a realization. Had he kept going, if she did not stop him then he would just be a fully realized weapon in human form and he would do anything to take out a target. He would have no humanity left.

The he stops and actually thinks about Raven. Even though their teammates can be too much – or extra as Garfield and Jaime say – she does appreciate them, and the little things. She also brings a level of realism down to things when the others (read Garfield) get too carried away with their ideas and what is happening. She does not ask for much. She will help the boys if they want to celebrate a birthday by also making sure they do not go bankrupt or they end up with a cruise in their living room with a million ideas with for what the theme is. She does not ask for anything in return, does not make a big out of things like her birthday or if they can visit the U.S. Mint, a museum, etc. She gives so much and deserves more than what she asks for and what they give her in return. Raven thinks she is a burden, now especially with Trigon inside her. She may not say it but Damian is good at reading people. She thinks that all she is a half-demonic creature that can only bring destruction where she goes.

 _You’re not a demon_. Damian thinks, interrupting his own thoughts.

That is when he hears it. Her voice, clear as day calling his name. “Damian.” Without realizing it, he starts crying as he confesses that he loves her.

“Are you crying?” The woman in the room demands. “You are. What’s the matter Damian? Don’t tell me, could it be Rachel? Have you fallen for her? This is unimaginable! A monster fell in love with another monster.” She glances over at Damian. “Don’t look at me like that.”

That is when something inside her snaps.

“They did this. I knew it was a mistake to have you live with him, and I knew it was a mistake for you to work on a team, especially one with her on it. She did this. She disillusioned you.” With each sentence she slaps him until he grabs her wrist.

“If hate her, hate them that much then why have you allowed me to live with either of them! You’re crazy! Why allow me to stay in either of their lives-” Another realization dawns on him. “You’ve been spying on me this whole time. Using both of them and others as pons in some sort of twisted game.”

“Always quick to make me the villain. Especially after moving in with your father. Now answer my question: do you lover Rachel Roth? If you do then you are an idiot. Clearly your father has not been allowing you to use your brain. What right do have to fall in love with anyone? You’ve seen the League of Assassins train; you have killed more people in your life then you have allowed to live. You were born a monster, an abomination born from something wonderful and tainted it. Come on Damian, who is the real villain here? Who really dragged your father and now Rachel into this?”

Damian looks down but does not need much time to respond. “I am.”

“That’s right.” She smiles a smile that could rival the Joker’s before returning her lips into a thin line. “Well, they are to blame too.”

“They’re not.” Damian shouts snapping his head to look at the older woman. “It was me, all me. Father and Raven have nothing to do this. And I especially don’t love her.” Damian can feel his heart lowering down into his stomach with the lie. “Of course, I don’t love her. Nor do I love father or his other children or that butler.” Lies. All lies. He loves them all so much. He considers Alfred almost like a grandfather, he loves his brothers and sisters – even if one or two are technically not wards or adoptees by his father he still loves them like his siblings. “Because I will never find love. Not with anybody.”

He falls to his knees. _Enough._ Images of his father, family and Raven flash in his mind. _I won’t allow anyone to keep talking bad about them because of me_.

She smiles. “That’s good. Because you know what is going to happen soon.”

He does. His fourteenth is approaching and when that happens, he will be sent for. He will be locked away forced into rigid training until there is no more Damian Wayne, instead a weapon. He nor anyone will recognize him.

“Yes. Mother.”

She smiles again. Walking away. Leaving Damian in the dark room alone.


	4. Chapter 4

Jason is digging at the ground. _Artemis is under there_ is looping around in his mind. They were asked by the League to check in on Gorilla City, and Grog was there (the Flash and Green Lanterns have come and taken him away) and he was planning world domination which he failed. But he was not going out with a bang.

Grog had fired a missile that was being sent towards Gorilla City. The downside is that Flash and the Green Lanterns did not notice it until it was too late. That’s when Artemis flew into the air to use her brute strength to stop it. It worked and it fell apart as it was landing but Artemis was literally digging into the ground with her feet. Now stuck under the front or nose or whatever people call it.

 _Please be alive. Please be alive. Please be ali_ \- Jason looks at Arsenal and Bizzaro, both of whom put a hand on his shoulder. He looks at them. Both are giving him grim looks, ones of sarrow and regret and sorry. Jason has never been more grateful for a mask to cover his entire face because he does not want anyone to see his face right now.

No rational human could survive what she has done, and if Artemis is dead then that means any of them could come out looking did after his fatal encounter with Joker. There is a disbelief he has that she is gone, but he is here. He has seen it in real time, right before him. There is no denying it.

He gets up from the ground, lowering his head avoiding eye contact with the front of the missile. He just wants to rip it apart but he knows if he loses his mind on it there is a chance he could also hurt Artemis and the others around him.

He hears something move on the ground. He keeps looking at the ground not wanting to believe she is alive because if he does, then coming to terms with her actual death is going to hurt a lot more.

There’s creeking noise, he rationalizes it to it being some of the Gorilla’s and Bizzaro moving the missile so they can retrieve Artemis, take her back to her fellow Amazon sisters and bury her. Then he and the other Outlaws, Diana, and whomever else will hold their own little funeral for her somewhere.

“Ugh.” A familiar voice says. Jason tells himself it is just his mind messing with him but when he hears “your city is safe” he finally looks up and she is there. She is standing, breathing, talking. Jason has never felt a weight leave his shoulders so quickly. Artemis comes over to him, she looks down at his black hands. They are caked in dirt. He shoves them into the pockets of his jacket, she smiles and gives him a kiss on his cheek. Again Jason is glad he has a mask that is covering his entire face because he can feel his entire face heating up. Although he might want to ask Tim if he can make tiny breathable holes in his mask without compromising the rest of it because it is hot right now.


End file.
